Campanula plant named &#39;CHICO LILA&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Campanula  plant named ‘Chico Lila’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; strong stems; freely flowering habit; lilac-colored flowers; and relatively long flowering period.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATION

Title: Campanula Plant Named ‘Chantal’.

Filed: Concurrently with this application

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Campanula glomerata

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘CHICO LILA’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Campanula plant, botanically known as Campanula glomerata and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Chico Lila’.

The new Campanula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering Campanula plants that flower for a long period of time.

The new Campanula plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2007 of an unnamed selection of Campanula glomerata, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Campanula glomerata, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Campanula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands in June, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula plant by divisions a controlled environment in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands, since August, 2009, has shown that the unique features of the new Campanula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Campanula plant have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Chico Lila’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Chico Lila’ as a new and distinct Campanula plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Strong stems.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Lilac-colored flowers.     -   5. Relatively long flowering period.

Plants of the new Campanula differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in plant size as plants of the new Campanula are more compact than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Campanula differ from plants of ‘Chantal’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Petals of flowers of plants of the new Campanula are not         fused at the apices whereas petals of flowers of plants of         ‘Chantal’ are fused at the apices.     -   2. Plants of the new Campanula and ‘Chantal’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Chantal’ have light purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Campanula can be compared to plants of Campanula glomerata ‘Emerald’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,343. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands, plants of the new Campanula differed primarily from plants of ‘Emerald’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Campanula were more compact than plants of         ‘Emerald’.     -   2. Plants of the new Campanula had shorter and stronger stems         than plants of ‘Emerald’.     -   3. Plants of the new Campanula and ‘Emerald’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Emerald’ had light purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Campanula can also be compared to plants of Campanula ‘Caroline’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands, plants of the new Campanula differed primarily from plants of ‘Caroline’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Campanula were more compact than plants of         ‘Caroline’.     -   2. Plants of the new Campanula had shorter and stronger stems         than plants of ‘Caroline’.     -   3. Plants of the new Campanula and ‘Caroline’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Caroline’ had pinkish purple-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Campanula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Campanula plant. The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Chico Lila’ grown in a container. The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘Chico Lila’. The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Chico Lila’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown in 24-cm containers during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Campanula production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 18° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Campanula glomerata ‘Chico Lila’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed selection of Campanula glomerata, not             patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown selection of Campanula glomerata, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By divisions.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and             upright plant form; inverted triangle; low vigor to             moderately vigorous growth habit; campanulate flowers             arranged in terminal and axillary clusters.         -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 23.8 cm.         -   Branch description.—Branching habit: Basal branching habit             with numerous basal branches developing per plant in             subsequent years of growth. Length: About 23.5 cm. Diameter:             About 1.1 cm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Strength:             Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 5° from vertical. Texture:             Densely pubescent. Luster: Slightly glossy. Color: Close to             144A strongly tinged with close to N186C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 8.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate or attenuate.         -   Margin.—Finely serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately rugose, rough;             moderately pubescent.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly glossy. Venation             pattern: Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B to             137C. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between N137A and             139A, venation, close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147D.         -   Petioles.—Stem leaves are sessile; basal leaves are             petiolate. Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm by 3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B;             margins, close to N137A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single campanulate             flowers arranged in terminal and axillary clusters; flowers             face mostly upright to slightly outwardly; freely flowering             habit with about 37 flowers developing in terminal clusters             and about 14 flowers developing in axillary clusters.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about nine             months after planting; relatively long flowering period,             plants flower continuously from mid-June to early August in             The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.             Shape: Narrowly oblong. Color: Proximally, close to 148D;             distally, close to between N187C and 187D.         -   Flower cluster height.—About 5.7 cm.         -   Flower cluster diameter.—About 9 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.6 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically five in a single             whorl; fused toward the lower half of the petal. Length:             About 3.2 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Narrowly obovate.             Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Slightly glossy. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 85C; towards the apex, close to 70B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to between 84C and 85C,             closest to 85C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 85B to             85C; mid-section, slightly tinged with close to N88D;             towards the apex, close to 70B; color does not fade with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 85B to             85C; towards the apex, close to 84C; color does not fade             with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically five in a single             whorl; fused towards the base. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width:             About 4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately             pubescent. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 143A;             towards the margins, close to N137A. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 143A; towards the margins,             close to N137A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.1 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Aspect, flowers in terminal clusters: Mostly upright.             Aspect, flowers in axillary clusters: About 30° from branch             axis. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 144C strongly tinged with close to N186C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to             NN155D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 7 mm.             Anther color: Close to 10B to 10C; at the apex, close to             150B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4D.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1.9 cm. Stigma shape: Three-parted, decurrent. Stigma color:             Close to 146D. Style length: About 1.7 cm. Style color:             Close to 84D. Ovary color: Close to 145A to 145B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Campanula. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Campanula have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Campanula     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Campanula have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind, to tolerate high temperatures about     35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 8. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Campanula plant named ‘Chico Lila’ as illustrated and described. 